


Reading Together

by NinesByDawn



Series: Nest Building [14]
Category: Teen Titans (Animated Series)
Genre: Established Relationship, F/M, Fluff, Slice of Life
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-19
Updated: 2020-04-19
Packaged: 2021-03-02 00:09:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,454
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23735899
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NinesByDawn/pseuds/NinesByDawn
Summary: RobRae Week 2020 Day 1 prompt.
Relationships: Dick Grayson/Raven, Robin/Raven, Robrae
Series: Nest Building [14]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1655041
Comments: 1
Kudos: 23





	Reading Together

**Author's Note:**

> Fresh ideas: none left
> 
> Self-indulgent writing: all-time high
> 
> Soul: empty
> 
> Get in losers, we're going RobRae(Week 2020)ing
> 
> Pls leave lots of comments this week so I know I haven't lost my mind yet

Robin was used to doing the interrogating, not being the one interrogated. And it couldn’t be any clearer than when she started asking him the probing questions.

“What about Howard’s decision? What do you think prompted it?”

“Uh…” He scratched his head. “Well, he did grow up always having to fend for himself. And Chuck did threaten him if he didn’t deliver the pills on time this time. So I guess—”

“That was a little while back,” Raven said. She kept a straight face, but noticed he was already beginning to fidget a little, uncharacteristic of him. “Yes, Chuck and him don’t exactly have the best relationship. But what else happened that might have driven Howard down this path to steal from his _own_ mother?”

“Maybe the fact that she told him about the chest she was also saving for when he would finally come back with proof he’d made it?” he offered.

She shut the book. It didn’t make a loud noise, but the bang of the pages against each other was crisp and quick. She glanced at him a little more intently, scanning for movement in his lips. He offered nothing…yet. “So…what about the watch?” she said softly.

“What about the watch?” he repeated.

She stared at him for a little longer. “Why does he keep it on him, even though the strap is broken?”

“Because the fact that it’s a fake Rolex symbolizes what he thinks of his life as is.”

“So does the watch fuel his decision?”

“It does,” Robin said. “He looks at it and that’s what pushes him over the edge, after everything else.”

Raven narrowed her eyes. “That’s not what happens,” she said bluntly. “He _loses_ it. The risk of wearing it with the broken strap finally catches up to him, and it slips as he’s escaping from the goons.”

Robin stopped, paralyzed. He opened his mouth slightly to say something, but nothing came out. She noticed an ever so slight flush in his cheeks as he stared at her.

“You didn’t read it, did you?” she said, still looking into his eyes directly.

“No,” he admitted. There was no use in lying. She wouldn’t even have to resort to the bond, but if she did, the bond would tell all. Raven got up from the floor in her room, and floated the book back onto her shelf. Robin awkwardly stood up, looking at her and waiting for her to speak.

“Just make sure you read it sometime soon,” she said. “We can discuss up to where we said we would after you do.”

“Sorry,” he began. “I’ll read it soon. Then we can—” She held a hand up, stopping him.

“It’s fine, Robin. You’re busy. Just let me know when you’ve gotten a chance to read it.”

“I’ll be back sooner than you expect,” he said, as he turned for the door.

“I picked this out for you, you know,” Raven said. “I thought you’d like it. I’m enjoying the read myself.”

“I know, Raven.” He nodded and looked back at her seriously. “I am enjoying it. But you don’t need to say anything else. I know I didn’t hold up my end.” With that, he left and Raven turned to her shelf.

Raven breathed out as she scanned the shelf, before settling on a thick book near the top of the shelf to pluck out. The book floated out of the shelf and into her hand as she sat down on her bed, kicking her feet up and opening it back up to where she left off. Another fantasy, this one involving warring tribes, all with magical allies. It vaguely sounded like the book she’d seen Cyborg in, but she pushed that thought out of her mind. Usually she jumped back into the flow of a story fairly quickly, but her mind soon decided this moment would not be one of those times.

_Why are you upset?_

_Upset about what? I’m not_ , she thought.

_Well, it’s getting kind of cramped for me in here,_ Happy whined. _Which_ must _mean you’re not_ happy _. So, you must be upset!_

_Shut up._

_See?!_

_Put a ton of salt instead of sugar in his coffee next time. That’ll show him!_ Rude interrupted. Raven rolled her eyes, and mentally prepared herself to lock away the personalities that were about to emerge.

_Maybe you should ask him what he is busy with,_ Knowledge suggested.

_I don’t particularly care. Now go away, all of you._ She concentrated for a moment, ignoring the voices of the others who wanted to chime in, then whisked them all away into the depths of her mind once more. She looked up from the book, the text of which she had already been glazing over for the past few minutes, and stared at her door, thinking. She wasn’t angry with him—Anger would have had a much easier time breaking free if that were the case. Raven sighed. It was pointless to be upset with him—he was busy, and it wasn’t like reading some book needed to be high on his list of priorities. She understood that. But at the same time, a small part of her still stung with disappointment. Shoving her emotions down wasn’t healthy, especially for her, but she would have to deal with it this time. It was a small feeling, and it wasn’t like it was worth venting to anyone.

Raven distractedly read through the book for a couple of hours, only stopping to refocus or brew a cup of tea. Eventually, she reached a stopping point and shut the book, gazing out the window. She stood up, figuring the others would be convening for dinner soon. Putting the book back in place, she started to make her way towards the door when the knocks came anyways. Raising an eyebrow, she slid the door open to find Robin standing there, book in his arms.

“I read it,” he said, giving her a small smile.

“…Already?”

“Yep. Do you wanna discuss it?”

“Uh…sure,” she said, letting him in. They sat down across from each other on her floor, and he opened up the book.

“I shouldn’t have pretended earlier,” he said, looking at her again. “Sorry about that.”

“It’s fine,” she said, letting out a quiet chuckle. “If you really have read it that quickly, you’ll have made it up to me.” They briefly discussed the main plot points, before she initiated a discussion of the symbolism and themes that tied in from earlier chapters. Robin indeed knew most of the chapters now, and even surprised her with the deeper insights he managed to glean from the short time he’d read them in. She guessed his endless nights with casefiles had sharpened his reading speed and comprehension.

“You know, I know Jordan is just a side character, but…” He scratched his head. “He kind of reminds me of myself. Or at least, how I was a while ago. Especially with the fact that he’s still homeless even now in the story. And his whole background.”

“I thought of that too,” Raven said, smiling. “He has hints of that same…drive. To escape. And a little mischievousness when the time calls for it.”

“He’s a little confused, though,” Robin said, now in thought. “I don’t know. I wish he had more of a role. But the main story is compelling enough.”

“You like him because you can relate to him,” Raven said. “But there are a few differences.”

“Like?”

“You’re in a much better place than he is,” she said, placing her hand on top of his and rubbing it gently.

“I know.” He smiled at her for a moment, before glancing back down at the book. “Anything else we missed?”

She pursed her lips. “I don’t think so, unless you want to discuss some mundane details like diction or do some foreshadowing.”

“Why don’t we just keep reading, instead of foreshadow?” he suggested.

“Now?”

“Why not?” He took her hand and led her to the wall. The two of them sat down, leaning against it, and he wrapped an arm around her shoulder. “I’m interested to see what happens next,” Robin said, holding his copy out in front of them.

“I suppose we could stay like this a little longer,” Raven said, resting her head against his collar. She placed her hand on one side of the book, shifting his to the other side, and left her other hand free to turn the page. She brought her knees up, huddling her body closer into him.

“Good.” He gave her a soft kiss on her cheek, then turned back to the page as the two of them continued to read.


End file.
